Breastfeeding is one of life's best gifts. As natural as it may be, it can still leave moms asking themselves, “Is this normal?” and “Am I doing this right?” Many new mothers have a lot of problems during breastfeeding. So I want to solve these nine breastfeeding problems through this article. Breastfeeding: Nine major problems you may encounter NO.1 I'm worried I'm not producing enough milk to feed my baby. Is that possible? NO.2 How do I know my baby is getting enough milk? NO.3 baby cries all the time NO.4 Do I need to clean my breasts every time I breastfeed? NO.5 Do I need to get special massages to stimulate milk production? NO.6 Should I feed my baby a mix of breast milk and formula in the lead up to my return to work? NO.7 As I recover from childbirth, can my family care for my baby or should I take care of him/her myself? NO.8 Is it alright to drink alcohol or caffeine while I'm breastfeeding? NO.9 Do I need to follow a special diet while I'm breastfeeding? 1.I'm worried I'm not producing enough milk to feed my baby. Is that possible? It's possible and unusual for a woman to truly lack the ability to make enough breast milk. While certain rare medical conditions and insufficient glandular tissue can prevent women from a making enough milk, most cases of low milk supply actually result from poor breastfeeding management and can be easily prevented or corrected with good support and the right information. The most common causes for low milk supply are insufficient breast stimulation (through use of a pacifier or not enough breast stimulation), early introduction of formula, incorrect latch, restricted or scheduled feedings, poor milk transfer, or insufficient breast emptying. All women start off with small drops of colostrum for the first two days, and usually, by day three or four, copious milk comes in. If the milk is still not in by day four or five, this is known as delayed onset of lactation . When the milk is delayed and Baby has signs of inadequate intake, supplemental feedings may be indicated. Signs of inadequate intake include excessive weight loss (weight loss greater than 10%), dehydration, severe jaundice, low urine output, insufficient bowel movements, and poor weight gain. Mothers should seek professional help as soon as possible. Early support and quick intervention is important and results in breastfeeding success. 2.How do I know my baby is getting enough milk? All babies lose weight in the first three to four days following birth. The average newborn baby generally loses between 7-8% of their body weight, but weight loss should not exceed 10%. Once the milk comes in around day three to five, Baby should start to gain weight every day and regain its birth weight by day 10-14. On average, babies gain between 15-30 grams a day for the next four to five months. The three key indicators that signify sufficient milk intake are daily weight gain, adequate urination, and adequate stool output. By day four or five, Baby's meconium should transition to yellow stool, s/he should soil six or more urine diapers per day and dirty three or more stool diapers per day. 3.My baby cries all the time. Is this because he is not getting enough milk from me? Not necessarily. When babies cry, they're expressing a need, and parents need to figure out what that need is. Babies cry for many reasons, not only hunger. Babies will also cry when they need to be held, when they're wet or soiled, when they want to suck, when they're tired, when they want to be walked or rocked or swayed, when they're hot or cold, or sometimes when they just feel like crying. Many mothers are disillusioned when they think they can just feed their baby and put them down for a good night's sleep. The reality is that newborns are most active during the night and they cry a lot in the first two to three months! It's best to minimize their crying and stress and know that most babies can be easily soothed by their mothers. Sometimes something as simple as seeing, hearing, or feeling their mother is all a baby needs to soothe and calm herself down. In fact, babies need time to adjust from being inside the womb to extrauterine life. Give her more time to adjust to her new world, expect to hold and cuddle your baby as much as she needs, mimic the womb as best you can with skin-to-skin contact. And definitely let the baby suck on demand as sucking is both soothing and necessary to build an efficient milk supply. 4.Do I need to clean my breasts every time I breastfeed? No. Not only can washing your nipples dry and irritate your skin, but the normal flora bacteria, or “friendly bacteria”, in your milk and on your breasts are beneficial for Baby. The good bacteria that normally exist on our bodies provide a natural protection for Baby by preventing the overgrowth of yeast and other harmful organisms. They also help Baby to enhance his/her own microbiome within the intestinal tract to help cultivate more of the safe bacteria needed to prevent the harmful bacteria from developing. 5.Do I need to get special massages to stimulate milk production? No. The best and most efficient way to stimulate milk production is to breastfeed. Years of research and evidence has proven that frequent breastfeeding and breast emptying is necessary to establish and build an adequate milk supply. While there is no scientific evidence to prove that breast massage stimulates milk production, it can, however, work well to unclog blocked milk ducts and improve milk transfer. A plugged duct generally feels like a tender lump inside the breast that may feel warm to the touch and appear red. It's important to know that continued breastfeeding is vital to the treatment of plugged milk ducts. Apply heat, massage the affected area, and breastfeed often to help Baby move the milk and unclog the blockage. 6.Should I feed my baby a mix of breast milk and formula in the lead up to my return to work? Who encourages that all babies be fed only breast milk for the first six months of life. Breast milk is everything a new baby needs during the first six months and is always superior to any powder formula. If Mom has to return to work, she can maintain her milk supply by pumping for each missed feeding and by mimicking the baby. If Baby fed once every three hours, Mom will need to pump every three hours, doing her best to empty the breasts thoroughly. In general, 15-20 minutes of pumping should be enough for most mothers. 7.As I recover from childbirth, can my family care for my baby or should I take care of him/her myself? Who guidelines recommend that all breastfeeding babies remain with their mothers as much as possible in the early weeks following delivery.Mothers around the world are supporting breastfeeding friendly. Not only is it recommended that newborn babies room-in with their mothers, but they will also want to be with her. Newborn babies expect to see, hear, and feel their mothers, and mothers should plan to be nearby, usually within arm's reach of baby. While it's tempting to ask a family member or hire an baby-sister to babysit, newborn babies expect and need complete access at unlimited intervals to mom's breast for breastfeeding on demand. Only Mom can do this job! Of course, Mom will be tired and, of course, she will need a little time without Baby, but babies don't understand this and their natural instincts demand ongoing motherly contact. Evidence also supports that being naked and skin-to-skin with your baby is not only an effective way to soothe your baby, but this can also stimulate an increase in prolactin, the milk-producing hormone, without even breastfeeding. 8.Is it alright to drink alcohol or caffeine while I'm breastfeeding? While it's not recommended to consume alcohol while breastfeeding, the latest research states that the occasional use of one to two servings of alcohol does not seem to harm a nursing baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that alcohol intake be minimized and limited to one to two drinks per week or less. Alcohol peaks in the mom's bloodstream and breast milk approximately 30-60 minutes after consumption. Unless mom is overly full and engorged, there's no need to pump and dump, as nursing may resume two hours or longer afterwards. Caffeine also passes into breast milk, but in smaller levels. Although the American Academy of Pediatrics classifies caffeine as compatible with breastfeeding, some babies (mostly those less than six months) may be sensitive and irritable when exposed to caffeine in the breast milk. Caffeine peaks in breast milk one to two hours after ingestion, so similar recommendations to wait several hours before resuming nursing may decrease baby's irritability. Excessive caffeine (the amount of caffeine in five or more cups of coffee) can certainly make Baby fussy, irritable, and sleep less. It doesn't mean you have to eliminate all caffeine – you can still have one or two cups of coffee a day, as long as your baby can tolerate it. 9.Do I need to follow a special diet while I'm breastfeeding? Unless there's an obvious reaction in your baby from some particular food, it's recommended for mothers to eat whatever they want, whenever they want, and as much as they want! Unlike pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers can eat anything they want, as long as their baby is happy. In fact, eating a variety of foods and foods with strong flavors may affect your breast milk and change the flavor. This is not necessarily a problem. One study found that babies actually nursed more actively after Mom ate garlic and other spices. Exposing your baby to different tastes and different flavors may expand their taste buds at a young age. But you should pay attention to whether Baby is reacting to certain foods because some babies are sensitive while others aren't.
